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1. Another fine showing for MSU. Now it’s time to see what they have.
EAST LANSING – Ready or not, it’s time for this Michigan State basketball team to be tested, to deal with someone its own size, to face an opponent with a little more rim protection than Niagara provided Thursday night. To be an underdog.
The Spartans will get all of that Tuesday night against Kansas in the Champions Classic in Atlanta.
We’ve learned about all we can from two exhibitions against Division-II teams and two home games against lower-tier Division-I programs, including Thursday’s 96-60 win over Niagara.
We’ve seen the Spartans have to respond to plucky opponents who won’t go away easily. They’ve done that well. We’ve seen Jaden Akins look like he’s up for being the main man on the court when needed. We’ve watched Jaxon Kohler grab 21 rebounds in two games and put up 20 points Thursday, looking like someone MSU will be able to count on. We’ve seen Coen Carr electrify the Breslin Center and be more than a highlight real, and Jeremy Fears Jr. tally 16 assists with just three turnovers in two games.
Let’s see if we’re still thinking the same thing about these guys after Tuesday. This is when we find out if Kohler can rebound like this against legitimate big men, if Akins can lead a team when things get hard.
Nothing that transpired this week suggests MSU can’t compete a level up. But beating Niagara and Monmouth convincingly is only so convincing.
Michigan State’s Jaxon Kohler, right, and Coen Carr celebrate during a Niagara timeout during the second half on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing.
2. An important second half for Frankie Fidler
Frankie Fidler appears to be fighting with his confidence early this season. You can see it in the shots he’s missing and how he attacks the rim. This is a new level for the Omaha transfer. A new city. A lot of eyes and expectations. So it’s all understandable. But MSU needs him in the right headspace. The…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/couch-3-quick-michigan-state-033331935.html
Author : Lansing State Journal
Publish date : 2024-11-08 03:33:00
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